Brassiere



FREEDMAN BRASSIERE Dec. 6, 1955 Filed Nov. 2, 1953 FIG. 2.

FIGI.

INVENTOR MURRAY FR EEDMAN BY 7770i #54 ATTORNEYS 2,725,562 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 BRASSIERE Murray Freedman, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor toArtistie Foundations, .Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 2, 1953, Serial No. 389,609 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) The present invention relates to foundation garments and in particular to a novelbrassiere construction facilitating manufacture by simplified techniquesin a manner compatible with the several functional requirements, specifically adequate support with comfort.

Innumerable expedients have been resorted to in the formation of respective breast-engaging cups for a brassiere. Experience indicates that an optimum construction includes few component parts joined together simply and easily assembled with body-encircling members and shoulder straps of a conventional brassier'e.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fabric blank of a particular configuration which may be folded and joined in a prescribed manner to form a breast-engaging cup for a desired contour. Material simplification in cutting, handling, and assembly is realized by use of this technique.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a blank of fabric having interconnected cup-forming sections is folded to bring therespective cup-forming sections into superposed relation, one above the other, the lowermost one of the cup-forming sections including an upper edge having downwardly divergent runs extending from an apex, and the uppermost one of the cup-forming sections having a lower edge with slight upward curvature. The superposed sections are joined together along the respective upper and lower edges and thus form the respective sections into a breast-engaging cup.

As a further feature of the invention, in the assembly of the aforesaid breast-engaging cups, respective loops are formed and may be interengaged to connect the cups in lateral spaced relation. This interconnection will lie conformably in the cleft region and assures permanent and sturdy securement between the respective cups.

The above objects and further features of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a brassiere construction embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a fabric blank for forming the respective breast-engaging cups of the present brassiere construction;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the blank of Fig. 3 in partially folded condition preliminary to completion of a breastengaging cup.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the completed breast-engaging p;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner of assembling the blank for forming a further breast-engaging cup with the previously formed cup; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the interconnection between the respective breast-engaging cups.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a brassiere 10 including breast-engaging cups 12, 14; respective body encircling members or straps 16, 18 having appropriate male and female hook and eye connections or the like 20, 22 which may be adjustably secured at the back region of the wearer; a lateral elastic band 24 encircling the body in the midriff region and secured to the lower edges of the respective breast-engaging cups 12, 14; and shoulder straps 26,28 extending between the respective body-encircling members 16, 18 and the breast-engaging cups 12, 14.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the breast-engaging cups 12, 14 is fabricated of a fabric blank B shown in progressive stages of assembly in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, which includes side-by-side cup-forming sections 30, 32 interconnected at a fold line 34 by stitching and in the region of an intermediate loop-forming section. This method of assembly enables the cup forming section to be made of different fabric materials as indicated in the drawings. For example, the section i? may be formed of a strong, closely-woven fabric, while the section 32 may be made of a thin, net-like loosely woven material. It is to be understood, however, that a single blank may be employed, in which case the sections 30 and 32 will be integral and made of the same material. The blank B includes a first cup-forming section 36 providing the lowermost section of the breast-engaging cup and having a straight bottom edge wardly curved upper edge with divergent runs 30b, 30c extending downwardly from an apex 30d. The run 30c terminates at a location above the straight edge 30a and is connected thereto by a side edge 30s arranged at an angle in relation to the bottom edge 30a along which an end of a body-encircling member may be secured, as will be appreciated upon an inspection of Fig. 1. The cupforrning section 32, which forms the uppermost section of a completed breast-engaging cup, includes a strapattaching portion extending below the lower edge 30a of the cup-forming section 30, the strap-forming portion being defined by downwardly convergent runs 32a, 32b interconnected by a substantially straight run 32c, which in turn is in substantial parallelism with the straight run 30a of the section 30. The uppermost edge 32a of the cup-forming section 32 has a slight downward curvature. The sharply curved upper edge 300 of the cup-forming section 30 and the somewhat less curved upper edge 32d of the cup-forming section 32 are arranged to be brought into coextensive relation with respect to each other upon inverting of the cup-forming section 32 with respect to the cup-forming section 30, as will be appreciated upon progressively inspecting Figs. 3 and 4. These coextensive edges are secured together by provision of stitching 36 or the like which terminates short of the median stitching 34 to provide an opening 38 in the region of the interconnecting loop-forming part adjacent the stitching 34. Upon inspection of Fig. 5, it will be appreciated that the lower straight edge 30a of the lowermost cup-forming section 30 may be secured to the elastic band 24 by stitching as seen in Fig. 1, while the edge 3% which is on a bias with respect to the lower edge 30a facilitates attachment to the adjacent body-encircling member. Through inverting the upper cup-forming section 32 it will be appreciated that the uppermost edge 32d is now lowermost, as seen in Fig. 5, with the straight edge 32c in position for attachment to an adjacent shoulder strap.

In Fig. 6 there is shown the further fabric blank B which may be assembled with the blank B by extension through the loop 38. The blank B is then secured along coextensive curved edges corresponding to the upper and lower edges of the sections 30, 32 to complete the other breast-engaging cup. Since the manner of completing the other breast-engaging cup is the same as described in con- 30a and a downnection with Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, further description will be dispensed With in the interests of simplicity and clarity.

When finally assembled, the respective breast-engaging cups are connected by the interengaged loops which are laterally yieldable to some extent, and permit body asjustment of the cup separation within limits defined by the length of the respectiveopenings 38, 38' and the give of the elastic midriff band 24.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that a construction according to the present invention exceptionally simple to assemble, requiring but two stitching operations in the formation of each of the breastengaging cups and no stitching for joining the breast-engaging cups in the cleft region. Assembly into the conventional brassiere construction, as shown in Fig. l, is accomplished simply by joining the midrifi-encircling band 24, the respective body-encircling members i6, 18 and the shoulder straps 26, 28 to the formed breast-engaging cups 12, 14.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the article disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Iclaim: v

1. In a brassiere, a pair of breast-engaging cups adapted to be" connected together Without stitching, each of said cups comprising a blanlcof fabric having a pair of cupforming sections connected by a narrow yoke, each of said sections having convex upper edges, each blank being folded on itself and the convex upper edges being alined and joined together by a line of stitching to form said cup sections, the said stitching terminating adjacent the yoke to form closed loops located at the center of said brassiere, said loops being interconnected to join said cups at the front center of the brassiere, said cupforming sections being located respectively at the top and bottom of the formed cup, and said line of stitching extending transversely across said cup substantially at the center thereof.

2. In a brassiere according to claim 1, a pair of back straps attached to the respective cups at the ends thereof opposite the loops, and an elastic band extending between said back straps beneath said cups and secured to the bottom edges of said cups.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

